1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compact, light weight bar code scanning device that can be easily installed in a standard computer terminal connector. More particularly, it relates to a bar code scanning device housed in a standard input/output ("I/O") card that is capable of multi-directional scanning and that is connected to a peripheral I/O port. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a multi-directional bar code scanning device housed in a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association ("PCMCIA") standard memory card that is compatible with portable computers and other devices that conform to the PCMCIA standards.
2. Description of Related Art
Laser-based scanner systems are capable of reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity, e.g., bar code symbols, particularly of the Universal Product Code (UPC) type. at a certain working or reading distance from a hand-held or stationary scanner. Typically, a light source such as a laser generates a light beam which is optically modified and focused to form a beam spot of a certain size at a working distance relative to a housing and is directed by optical components, including a reflecting mirror, along a light path through an exit port of the housing toward a bar code symbol located in the vicinity of the working distance for reflection from the symbol. A photodetector having a field of view extending across and slightly past the symbol detects light of variable intensity reflected off the symbol and generates electrical signals indicative of the detected light. These electrical signals are decoded into data descriptive of the symbol. A scanning component may be situated in the housing, and is operative to either sweep the beam spot in a scan pattern across the symbol, or to scan the field of view of the photodetector, or simultaneously do both. The scanning component is typically a drive motor operatively connected to the reflecting mirror. The scanning component can also be a charge-coupled device (CCD) array.
Many industries, particularly the grocery and food processing industry, designate their products with a unique bar code symbol consisting of a series of lines and spaces of varying widths. Various bar code readers and laser scanning systems have been developed to decode the symbol pattern to a multiple digit representation for check-out and inventory purposes.
Portable scanners that are known in the art consist of a portable computer connected by a cable to a bar code scanner. A signal processor or decoding apparatus can be located in the same housing with the scanner or it may be housed separately. In such cases, a cable connects the scanner to the processor or decoder and then a second cable connects the processor or decoder to the portable computer. In other cases, the signal processing or decoding is performed by the computer. All of these systems are inconvenient to use because of the cables and the separate housings for the scanner and the computer. Moreover, the advantages due to the portability of these units is diminished when the user needs both hands to carry the scanning system. This severely limits the user's ability to perform other functions and the cables are potential safety problems.
Many of the portable scanning systems currently in use require special interface hardware for connecting the scanner to the computer, including adaptors and cables. This adds to the initial cost of such systems and makes them more expensive to maintain.
Attempts have been made to integrate a bar code scanner and computer into a single housing. A computer would typically include a display, a keyboard, or a touch screen functioning as a display/keyboard. In an alternative embodiment the scanning system could be voice activated. Such scanning systems have the scanner mounted in a fixed position or adjustable to a limited number of fixed positions. These devices generally have drawbacks, including larger housings that limit portability and high initial cost. This has led to the need for a bar code scanner that is compact and light-weight and easily adapted to use with a portable computer and peripheral computer devices, such as modems.
The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), an organization comprised of hundreds of manufacturers of memory cards and related peripheral equipment, has established spatial standards for all circuit boards used in downsized computers. PCMCIA has developed a 68-pin memory card standard for three memory card types as follows:
a. Type I Memory Cards are the same width and length as a common credit card, about 54 mm .times.85.6 mm, but are thicker than a credit card. The thickness of a Type I card is 3.3 mm (0.130"). PA1 b. Type II Memory Cards are used by those companies which are utilizing memory components that are too high to be housed within a Type I card. Type II Memory Cards are also the same overall length and width as credit cards, but have a raised body cross section in the substrate area which gives them an overall thickness of 5 mm (0.195"). The raised substrate areas of these cards are 48 mm in width. PA1 c. Type III Memory Cards are the result of a recent movement sponsored by the Small Form Factor Committee to enable 1.8" Small Form Factor Disk Drives to be plugged into memory card connectors in small portable computer applications. Type III memory cards are the same length and width as Type I and Type II memory cards. However, Type III cards have a substrate area thickness of 10.5 mm. Also, Type III memory cards require a card guide opening width of 51 mm on the header connector to accommodate the slightly wider raised substrate area.
PCMCIA cards enhance the capabilities of a computer by providing standard interface software protocols and hardware interface. They have been used to interface memory, facsimile machines, modems and disk drives with the host computer. The standard connector size makes them compatible with most portable computers and they are designed for easy installation and removal. The present invention advances the art by providing a means for a miniature bar code scanner to be housed in a PCMCIA card and directly interfaced to a computer.
It is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, light-weight and compact scanning apparatus that is compatible with a portable computing device.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a scanning apparatus that can be connected to a standard PCMCIA port.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a scanning apparatus housed within a standard PCMCIA memory card.
An additional objective of the present invention is to pivotably mount a scanning apparatus on the exterior of a PCMCIA card.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a scanner apparatus that can be connected to a computer through an existing PCMCIA compatible port.